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There’s one image in underwater image-maker Thomas Ozanne’s portfolio that gives a bit of insight into his photographic philosophy. It’s that of a manta ray. But the manta isn’t really what’s emphasized in the competition—rather it’s the curly-q of a whip coral that leads the viewer’s eye to the ray.

Many of Thomas’ other images sneak up on you, so to speak. Yes, Thomas has many shots that wow you right away, but his nuanced compositions and lighting give the viewer a moment to take it all in. In our fleeting modern world, this extra time spent taking in a beautiful underwater photo—even if it’s just a split second—is, well, a beautiful thing.

“I try to achieve clean, simple, and balanced compositions from these fleeting moments,” Thomas says of his underwater encounters. “I find the pursuit of these images to be a never-ending challenge—sometimes easy, sometimes difficult, often frustrating, but almost always satisfying.”

A beautiful reef scene swarmed with fish

School is in session

A freediver surfaces through a large school of fish

Thomas has used an open aperture to create a pleasing blur surrounding this blue ribbon eel

Featured Photographer

I graduated from Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA with an AA in photojournalism and a BA in commercial photography in 2008. I am extremely passionate about what I do, and I feel so happy to be a part of...